The invention relates to a battery containment apparatus for electronic flash, and more particularly, to such apparatus for use with a portable electronic flash capable of providing an increased amount of flashlight emission.
As is well recognized, an ordinary electronic flash is provided as a portable construction so that a flash photography in the outdoor is enabled, and is fed with power from a source battery which is either internally housed within or externally connected to the electronic flash. A portable electronic flash capable of providing an increased amount of flashlight emission and which may be used in the field of press photography includes a main capacitor having a high capacitance so that a high guide number is available. A plurality of source batteries are either contained within or externally connected to the electronic flash in order to charge such capacitor rapidly. Accordingly, a battery containment apparatus is provided which contains the plurality of batteries to feed the electric circuit of the flash.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show several examples of conventional battery containment apparatus for electronic flash. In FIG. 1, an electronic flash includes a body 1, from which depends downwardly a grip 2 in which a plurality of source batteries 3 are contained. Another battery containment apparatus is shown in FIG. 2 where a holder 4 separate from the body 1 of the electronic flash contains a plurality of source batteries 3 and is electrically connected to the body 1 through a connection cord 5.
In conventional battery containment apparatus as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plurality of batteries 3 contained therein are all connected in series, thereby forming a single d.c. source. This causes a large current drain from the respective batteries 3 when charging a main capacitor of the electronic flash, substantially reducing the discharge rate of the batteries 3 to prevent an efficient utilization of the battery capacity.
Where an electronic flash requires a plurality of d.c. sources, for example, where it includes a plurality of DC/DC converters which are fed from a plurality of d.c. sources, a plurality of battery containment apparatus must be connected with the electronic flash, thus disadvantageously degrading the convenience of portable use and ease of operation of the electronic flash.